A veteran Weehawken police officer had been moved from two different locations, situated strategically near polling places, during the course of Election Day on Tuesday. As he stood and watched the activities of the day, he had a poignant observation.
“I’ve lived here all my life,” he said. “And I’ve never seen anything like this. I guess it’s safe to say that Hudson County politics have finally come to Weehawken.”
Bingo. This wasn’t your average Weehawken municipal election. The first fully contested election Weehawken has endured in 12 years certainly produced its fair share of interesting moments, especially people from practically every Hudson County community somehow getting involved.
Here are just one reporter’s observations on what transpired during Election Day in Weehawken, a day that will not be soon forgotten.
Scuffle
Late in the day, a heated altercation took place outside the American Legion post on Boulevard East that was used as a polling place. Third Ward candidate John Hubbard was involved in the scuffle, which featured some heated words, some pushing and shoving, but no one was actually struck. The police were called to the scene, but no arrests were made.
Hubbard was shocked by the proceedings.
“Six grown men in a van pulled up and jumped out and knocked some cards out of my hands,” Hubbard said. “They were ready to come after me and surrounded me. Some words were passed back and forth, but it was just a commotion. The cops came and broke everything up, but things had turned ugly and it was sad to see. It was disappointing that it turned into this. There was no need for it.”
A similar incident was reported to have happened at Liberty Avenue’s polling place as well.
According to Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, he believes that the hooliganism is part of an influx of alleged Jersey City municipal workers who were paid $50 each to cause disturbances at polling places. Turner believes that they were summoned to Weehawken by Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham, in a payback for Turner’s failure to support Cunningham in his attempt to become Hudson County Democratic chairman.
“There was a group of 30 paid people from Jersey City who were brought in,” Turner said. “There were pushes and shoves, and one of our workers was knocked down. If these people from Jersey City were not brought in, then none of this would ever happen.”
WIN At-Large candidate Arielly Laszlo couldn’t believe Turner’s claim that the troublemakers were from Jersey City and were supervised out of Laszlo’s home on Hudson Place.
“I don’t even want to comment,” Laszlo said. “I’m not even touching it. It disgusts me.”
However, if the alleged Jersey City hooligans came to Weehawken to harass prospective Turner supporters, then why was Hubbard targeted? Perhaps the Jersey City contingent didn’t know which candidate was affiliated with what ticket.
Attack of the pols
Speaking of outsiders, several local prominent politicians were in full force throughout the day, showing support to Turner and the Weehawken and You ticket.
Union City Mayor Brian Stack and Hoboken Mayor David Roberts were spotted along Park Avenue campaigning for Turner’s team. West New York Mayor and State Assembly Speaker Albio Sires was also regularly spotted, but he’s Turner’s boss in West New York, where Turner serves as the township administrator, so it makes sense that he’d be there.
Freeholder Silverio “Sal” Vega was a challenger outside the American Legion polling place, along with Guttenberg Councilman Javier Inclan.
The kids are alright
A group of youngsters were positioned along Boulevard East, distributing “palm cards” that featured the names of the Weehawken Initiative Now (WIN) candidates.
One disheveled older man was approached by one of the teens and was handed a card. He took a look at the card and gave a simple two-word response.
“WIN?” the man exclaimed. “Lose.”
He gave a thumbs-down sign, tossed the card to the curb and continued to walk down the Boulevard. Little did he know that the response would soon become very prophetic.
You can call me Johnny, or you can call me Ronny…
Weehawken and You campaign workers were busy handing out a campaign fliers along Park Avenue, promoting the work of incumbent 3rd Ward Councilman Robert Sosa and bashing the work of WIN candidate “Ron Hubbard.”
There’s only one problem. The WIN Third Ward candidate’s name is John Hubbard, not Ron Hubbard. In fact, L. Ron Hubbard is the father of the Scientology religious movement, who believed in using cryogenics to save mankind.
Weehawken and You officials maintained that the misuse of Hubbard’s name on the flier was not done with malicious intent, but rather a simple honest mistake.
Perfect together
For the first time, Weehawken High School was not used as polling place. Instead, voters were sent to two other locations, one being the Senior Nutritional Center on Highwood Avenue, just down the block from the high school.
If any resident went to the high school to vote by mistake, they were instructed to go to either of the other two sites by a handwritten sign hanging on the railing of the school. However, the signs used were actually written on the backs of Weehawken and You campaign signs, just turned around. That’s called getting practical use for the unused campaign posters.
Right idea
If one strolled down Park Avenue, they would have noticed the plethora of campaign posters plastered in the storefront windows. One florist had the best idea. The window featured a poster of each ticket, posted right next to each other. That’s the epitome of being neutral.
Join the team
Another evident sign that it was Election Day were the several Weehawken residents all wearing similar baseball caps. A closer look showed what the hats said across the brim, “Team Turner.”
Get well soon
First Ward Councilman Lou Ferullo could not campaign over the final days of the race, felled with a severe case of bronchitis. Ferullo, who like Turner, was elected to his fourth term in office, couldn’t even partake in the victory celebration at the Food Court in Lincoln Harbor.
No emissions
One of the more enjoyable sights during the course of the day was at-large WIN candidate Dr. Ben Goldman motoring from polling place to polling place. While other candidates scurried about in vans, Goldman pedaled from place to place on a bicycle, complete with baby seat in the rear.
“It was a perfect day for bicycling,” Goldman said. “It was definitely an efficient way of getting around.”